Sunderland ‘plan bid for Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov’

Dimitar Berbatov is set to be offered the chance to end his Manchester United misery with a £5million transfer to Sunderland.

The Bulgarian started just five Premier League matches last season and is now fifth choice striker at Old Trafford, following the arrival of Robin van Persie from Arsenal.

Dimitar Berbatov is keen to leave Manchester United (Allstar)

He wants the chance to play first-team football and United wish to remove him from their wage bill, but there has been a surprising lack of interest in the 31-year-old, other than an enquiry from Zenit St Petersburg.

That is about to change, as Black Cats boss Martin O’Neill is lining up a £5million bid for Berbatov, reports the People.

Sunderland are short of firepower, despite the signing of free agent Louis Saha, and O’Neill is determined to land a regular goalscorer before the transfer window closes.

His top target was Steven Fletcher but, after Wolves demanded £15million for the Scot, he has turned his attention to Berbatov.

United would accept a £5million offer for a player who is in the final year of his contract, but the former Spurs and Bayer Leverkusen star’s salary package is likely to prove a stumbling block.